Nothing out there, and I'll say that with my own experience. I've tasted many, many different IPA's and DIPA's and nothing easily accessible comes close to the flavor. Lawsons Double Sunshine tastes exactly like Heady but is more pungent, while many of the Hill Farmstead beers hit the same notes. This is probably why they're held in such regard, as they're amazing beers.

Peekskill Brewing in NY makes a damn good Double IPA that's really close. I believe they use Simcoe, Citra and Amarillo hops in their version, with the emphasis on the Simcoe and Citra. It's called "Double Standard". It has that same dank musty hop note.

Hill Farmstead Double Citra and Kern Double Citra are very different from Heady as well, more of the pineapple sweeter hop notes. Heady has that dankness to it that must be a product of the hop combinations. I also hear Heady is dry-hopped while it's being packaged into the can/keg, but I can't verify this.

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This will be a semi-unsatisfactory answer, but outside of the Vermont offerings, Ballast Point Sculpin is a solid option. The hop profile is noticeably distinct from HT (which I picked up one when I did them side-by-side), but of the even semi-available beers for PA, Sculpin does decently in comparison. That said, Heady Topper is my favorite IPA, so I haven't found anything that can match it.

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Surly Abrasive is very close... Lawson's Double Sunshine is similar too (but probably harder to get). HF makes like 2,938 IPAs in Heady's class as well. That's just a rough estimate, I don't have the exact count.

Just wondering if anybody know this so i don't need to drink every DIPA or IPA out there.

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You don't have to drink every last one. Just keep drinking 'em until you find one you really like that you don't have to jump through too many hoops to get on a regular basis. If it doesn't taste like Heady Topper, that's okay. When you finally do get hold of some Heady Topper again, it'll be like visiting an old friend.

Whatever you do, please do not let yourself become that woman at my bottle shop who never drinks any beer but Hopslam. Every damn January she buys 12 cases worth to last her the entire year (I am not making this up).

Those are just as hard to find. Thanks though. Anybody know the hops used??

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Nobody knows for sure. There was a pretty extensive thread in the homebrew forum about trying to clone Heady both before and after the forum switch:http://beeradvocate.com/community/threads/heady-topper-clone.7489/
To my taste there's definitely a lot of Simcoe, Columbus, and Centennial but from there it's hard to say anything definite. The consensus seemed to be not so much newer hops (Citra, NZ varieties and co) with disagreement about how much Amarillo's present. Likely some Simcoe, Columbus, Centennial, possibly something else like Nugget and then lots of opinions (Cascade, Citra, Magnum, and so on).

Nobody knows for sure. There was a pretty extensive thread in the homebrew forum about trying to clone Heady both before and after the forum switch:http://beeradvocate.com/community/threads/heady-topper-clone.7489/
To my taste there's definitely a lot of Simcoe, Columbus, and Centennial but from there it's hard to say anything definite. The consensus seemed to be not so much newer hops (Citra, NZ varieties and co) with disagreement about how much Amarillo's present. Likely some Simcoe, Columbus, Centennial, possibly something else like Nugget and then lots of opinions (Cascade, Citra, Magnum, and so on).

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Don't they use hop extract as well?

I am also would love a HT replicator/band aid until i can travel up there

i'm not all that knowledgeable but from recent experiences i would say Hoptimum isn't that far off as far as the experience i got from heady. big, well rounded, full flavored and with plenty of maltiness.

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i actually thought heady topper taste like a bigger version of fresh sn celebration ale. must be similar hops or something. and its way easier to get. anwway the way seasonals are coming out, we'll be drinking celebration labor day

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I couldn't disagree more on this suggestion. I was blown away by Heady, while Abrasive, to me at least, smelled and tasted like cat pee.

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I've had more heady topper than most and Abrasive is the closest thing I've tasted to it.
I'll seek out more abrasive as it has been 9 months or so since I've had it. I know some people's palates are more sensitive to certain hops, so it could be something along those lines or maybe just batch variation.

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Funny, I came here to say the same. I've had everything mentioned in this thread except for the HF brews and I can easily say that La Cumbre is the closest in my book. They share that extreme grapefruit/mango hoppiness action.

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Closest thing I've had is Abner from Hill Farmstead, but that's significantly harder to come by. So doesn't really help.

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Interesting you say Abner, I picked up a few 4-packs of Heady and a growler of Abner this weekend. I absolutely loved Abner, actually more than Heady, but I thought they were very different. Abner drinks much heavier, and its somewhat sweeter. Heady tastes cleaner, and is a slightly more dry.

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Interesting you say Abner, I picked up a few 4-packs of Heady and a growler of Abner this weekend. I absolutely loved Abner, actually more than Heady, but I thought they were very different. Abner drinks much heavier, and its somewhat sweeter. Heady tastes cleaner, and is a slightly more dry.

I'm really a n00b though so take my input with a grain of salt.

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Abner was definitely a little fruitier and less piney for me. I didn't really think either was heavier, but if I had to say I think Heady was a touch lighter. I drank a growler of Abner followed by a couple cans of Heady when I was in VT a couple months ago, so I did have them back to back. That's why our palates are different I guess. They're definitely not identical, but they're the closest things to each other that I've had. Nothing is even close from what I've had so far.

This will be a semi-unsatisfactory answer, but outside of the Vermont offerings, Ballast Point Sculpin is a solid option. The hop profile is noticeably distinct from HT (which I picked up one when I did them side-by-side), but of the even semi-available beers for PA, Sculpin does decently in comparison. That said, Heady Topper is my favorite IPA, so I haven't found anything that can match it.

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All the hop-snobs just turned their nose up at you for recommending such a semi-widely-distributed IPA, but I got your back. HH717 FTW!

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All the hop-snobs just turned their nose up at you for recommending such a semi-widely-distributed IPA, but I got your back. HH717 FTW!

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weird time that we're in that sculpin is the "semi-widely-distributed IPA". not that the distribution area isn't wide, but finding sculpin--much less fresh sculpin--has rarely been a given in most places.

p.s. i'm as big a hop snob as they come without being totally absurd, and i'll recommend hoptimum day in and day out.

weird time that we're in that sculpin is the "semi-widely-distributed IPA". not that the distribution area isn't wide, but finding sculpin--much less fresh sculpin--has rarely been a given in most places.

p.s. i'm as big a hop snob as they come without being totally absurd, and i'll recommend hoptimum day in and day out.

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I guess I can only speak to my experience, but I can usually get Sculpin that tastes pretty fresh to me now that Ballast Point is in MD, and didn't have a problem getting it before that, from a friend in NJ.

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I've had more heady topper than most and Abrasive is the closest thing I've tasted to it.
I'll seek out more abrasive as it has been 9 months or so since I've had it. I know some people's palates are more sensitive to certain hops, so it could be something along those lines or maybe just batch variation.

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Going to want to wait awhile to seek out any abrasive its only a December to March seasonal from Surly so anything you'd get now wouldn't be fair to stack up against Heady.